How do I know if my baby is sleeping the right amount of time?
Premature babies may seem to sleep a great deal initially. They should be waking on a regular basis for feeding. By the time of discharge your baby has developed a routine of sleeping.
If your baby has its days and nights mixed up, it is best to minimize the stimulation during the night feeding time. Some ways you can do this are:
Use only a night light when getting up to feed the baby.
Change the baby before the feeding.
Talk very minimally and softly during the time you are up with him/her.
If you normally rock the baby after the feeding, do so for only a very short time. The baby will begin to learn to settle him/her self.
The adjustment to the home environment from the noisy nursery is difficult for some babies. Some suggestions to help your baby make this transition are:
Keep the lights dimmed.
If your baby is fussy, swaddle your baby by wrapping his/her arms and legs snugly in a blanket.
Place a blanket flat on the bed with the top corner of the blanket pointing away from you and the bottom corner pointing at you.
Fold top point down 1/4 way.
Position baby with his shoulders lying on the fold of the blanket.
Flex baby's arms at the elbows and bring them to the midline of his/her chest and hold in place.
Take one side point of the blanket and bring across the baby's body and tuck the end under the baby.
Bring up the bottom point and hold in place.
Follow with bringing the remaining side of blanket across the baby folding it under the baby.
Play soft low music, or keep the television on during the day.
